The present invention relates to sampling devices for taking liquid or slurry samples for analysis from processes media in situ, filtering solids from the sample and maintaining the sample integrity using novel mechanisms and procedures.
In fields such as physics, chemistry, or biology, in situ may describe the way a measurement is taken, that is, in the same place the phenomenon is occurring without isolating it from other systems or altering the original conditions of the test. Taking a small sample in an automated and repeated manner for analysis is a fundamental task for process monitoring. However such a task is challenging because it is hard to reach high precision, maintain the integrity of the sample and remove solids from the samples.
Sampling of laboratory vessels is typically done by a pipette. A pipette with an appropriate tip is immersed in a solution, a few micro liters are withdrawn and then deposited in a small sample bottle. In a typical chemistry laboratory, a reagent is added immediately to the sample bottle to quench the reaction and then more solvents, appropriate for subsequent analysis, are added to bring the concentration in range for the analysis. Previous efforts have not been successful for the process of monitoring laboratory vessels for the following reasons: sample volume; physical size of process; access to the process; process conditions; sample properties; maintaining sample integrity; flexibility of sampling; and preferred choice of analysis.
As can be seen, there is a need for an improved in situ sampling device.